Using a left radial artery (LRA) vs. hyper-adducted right radial artery (HARRA) approach in the cath lab can help reduce the amount of radiation dose to operators. Image courtesy of Casazza et al. and Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.
Using a left radial artery approach in the cath lab exposes interventional cardiologists to significantly less radiation than a hyper-adducted right radial artery approach. The difference is substantial enough for researchers to declare LRA "the primary access site for cardiac catheterization."
S. Chris Malaisrie, MD, professor of surgery at Northwestern University, explained what these data can tell us about the lifetime management of patients who require aortic valve replacement.
Exposure to scatter radiation and orthopedic issues related to years of wearing lead aprons during long EP procedures has led electrophysiologists to seek out new ways to reduce the need for angiographic X-ray.
Advancements in radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation technology have been incremental over the past 30 years in efforts to improve safety, procedural efficiency and patient outcomes. While some newer technologies have gained a lot of attention in electrophysiology (EP) over the past several years, RF remains the solid frontline treatment.
Arrows illustrate breast arterial calcifications for a 65-year-old woman on a screening mammography image (mediolateral oblique and craniocaudal views). Images and caption courtesy of Clinical Imaging.
Breast artery calcifications are already visible when radiologists review mammograms, but nothing typically happens with them. Researchers aimed to see if AI could help translate those findings into an easy-to-understand cardiovascular risk score.
Most advancements in electrophysiology technology are small and incremental, but the experts at Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute in Austin, TX, were quick to see distinct advantages when they started using the latest iteration of radio frequency ablation, the QDOT MICRO™ Catheter.
Mitral valve repair was linked to a significant improvement in long-term survival when treating infective endocarditis. Some patients are not good candidates for a repair procedure, however, making replacement the best possible option.
Bioresorbable stents are back in the spotlight thanks to some significant progress from multiple medtech companies. Eric Secemsky, MD, discussed some of the biggest breakthroughs in this space at CRT 2025.
“Asking about cannabis use should be part of clinicians' workup to understand patients' overall cardiovascular risk, similar to asking about smoking cigarettes,” one researcher said. Additional details will be presented at ACC.25 in Chicago.
